File index device



Nov. l, 1932.

J. M. HuRLl-:Y

FILE lINDEX DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l XLXMLUUU Nov. 1, 1932. J. M. HURLEY FILE INDEX DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1930 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 p j narran [STATES] JOSEPH M. Humana, OFMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA FILE :INDEX DEVICE' Appiieation mea Y(mmm 25, 1930.: serial No. 491,2c.

This invention relates to file index devices. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a device which can be quickly and conveniently used for gathering memoranda, classifying the same, indexing the same and filing the same.

It is a further object to provide a file index of novel and improved construction, whereby memoranda sheets can be quicklyand conm' veniently filed away for record; the position of the sheets can be rapidly changed and the sheets can be quickly and easily removed for.

convenient use at other points than where the ille index is located. y

To these ends, the invention consists in the novel parts and novel combinations of parts, hereinafter delined in the Vclaims and described in the following specification, madev in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating the com'-` plete lile index, the envelopes ofthe index being indicated in full lines in downwardly swung position, and in dotted lines in upwardly swung position,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrat-ing the envelopes in upwardly swungposition;

F ig. 3 is a` view on an enlarged scale illustra-ting one corner of the index device, `the envelopes and wires being removed;y

Fig. Ll isa vertical section taken on the line lra of Fig. 3, as indicated by the arrows, a. kwire and an envelope carried thereby bei-ng illustrated Figs. 5, Gand 7 are views in side elevation illustrating three different types of housing 'L members that may be used;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken through one Aof the envelopes that may be used, the thickness of the material forming the en- ,velope and sheets carried thereby, being greatly exaggerated; andV Fig. 9 is a verticalfsiection taken through one ofthe flaps of the envelope, the thickness of the material forming the envelope being even more greatly exaggerated thanin Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, in accordance with the' present invention there is provided a panel 10' which serves as a base or support. upon which a pair of spaced parallel channels shaped guides 1l are mounted. The guides are so disposed that their open sidesv face each 153' other and ifthe panel 10 is con'siderefdtoV be disposed in a horizontal plane, each guide' l1 maybe considered to include a horizontalV base ange secured to the panel l0 as by rivets 12, an outer vertical flange and an 6P upper and inwardly .projecting horizontal flange. The base flange of each channel is, preferably of considerably greater width than the upper flange, as best shown in Fig. l, and

is reversely bent upwardly upon itselfl vat its inner edge to form a recess within which the outer portion ofa'light plate-like .spring 13 is seated.. Ther springs 13 extend parallel to the guides 11 and their, outer edges are freeand are Vbent upwardly to normally lie adjacent the open sides of the two guides 1lV and some little distance above the base flanges thereof. The free edges of the springs 13 are, however, compressible downwardly against the base flanges of the guides. Hous- W5 ing members 14 of various lengths, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, are adapted to be held in place within the guides V11. These housing members, although they may be made of y various lengths as stated, each include an in- '80 ner vertical side 14a having one `or more vertical slots 15 cut therein. Joining the upper edge of the vertical'side lala,y of each housing member, is an u'pperhoriz'ontal flange; 146

Vwhich is adapted .to fit over the upper hori v85 zontal flange of one of the guides 1l and this flange serves as a handle or means "for moving the housing memberin the guide. The: lower" edge of the' vertical flange l14a', has' joined thereto a'4 horizontal and outwardly `90 projecting base side 140, which isv adapted to litv against the outer portions of the base flanges o-f the guides below the upper horizontal flanges thereof. y upwardly prov jecting outer side 14d of the housing member .05 joins the' outer edge of the 'base 14o and is' adapted to extend against the vertical flange of the guides and to ap'oint slightly belowthe level of the 'upper horizontalflang'es thereof.

nua' wings n@ join the edges of the inner' 16o l@ springs 13 against the base flanges of the guides and then pushing the housing members outwardly. There is suflicient clearance between the upper edges of the wings 111e and the outer sides 14d of the housing members .15' to permit insertion of the wings 14e, side lila? and base 140 of the housing members within the channels of the guides, while the springs 13 are depressed against the base flanges of the guides. Jlifter the housing members are in place, the free edges of the springs 13 will, of course, rise to their normal position and the springs will act to retain the housing members within the guides. 1t will be seen that the housing members can be readily removed from the guides by merely pressing the springs downwardly and withdrawing the housing members from the channels of the` guides. The guides 11 have downturned wings at their ends which proven t ene housing 3@ members 14 from being removed from they ends of the guides. Filler members 16 similar in all respects to the housing members 14, with the exception that no .slots similar to the slots 15, are cut in the filler members,

:may be used to take up the space in the guides `not occupied by the housing members.

Attention should be called to the fact that the flanges 141) and the bases 140 of the housing members are notched at their inner edges ste form continuations of the slots 15. ln

practice, pairs of housing members 111 of the same length and having the same number of slots 15 cut therein, guides 11 in opposition to each other, so that the slots 15 in opposite housing members will ""lie in the same plane extending at right-v angles to the panel 10 and transversely between the guides y11. Spring wires 17 are extended transversely between the two guides V11 and these spring wires have end portions which project into opposite housing members 14 through opposite slots 15 therein. The wires 17 are of such length that when inserted in place, the eXtreme ends of the wires --will almost strike the outer sides 14d of the housing members and these wires can be used alone without the springs 13 to hold the housing members in place in the guides 11. The spacing between the extreme ends of the wires 69@ 17 may be quickly reduced to insert or withy draw the wires fromthe housing members by merely bowing the wires or otherwise flexing the same. YPreterably the extreme.

ends of the wires 17 will be sharpened or "35 pointed. Carried by the wires 17 are memoare disposed in the randa members 18 which may be envelopes as shown. rlhese envelopes 18 are preferably of rectangular shape and have closed ends and one closed side, the remaining side being open as shown in Fig. 8 and in Fig. 2 and there being inturned flaps 18a formed on both the top and bottom of the envelopes at the open side thereof. rl.`he corners of the envelope joining the closed side with the vclosed ends thereof, have small wire-receiving openings 18h therein whichk openings may be either left in the envelope at the time the envelope is formed, or may be punched therein by the ends of a wire 17 as the wire is inserted in place in the envelope. An envelope 18 may be applied to one of the wires 17 by inserting one end of the wire through one of the openings 18h at the closed corners of the envelope, then drawing the wire for some little dist ance through the opening until the opposite end of the wire is within the envelope and then sliding thesaid opposite end of the wire outwardly through the other opening 186 in the envelope. Preferably, the inner surface of the -envelope 18 have carbon layers 19 formed thereon, as shown in Fig. 9. "Within the envelope, one or more reversely bent sheets 2() of paper may be disposed and one or more reversely bent carbon sheets 21 may be disposed between the sheets 20 of paper, if desired. The reversely bent sheets 2O and 21 will preferably be disposed within an envelope so that their edges will be underneath the ilaps 18a, as shown in Fig. 8, and the bight portions of the sheets will be disposed adjacent the, closed side of the enve-Y lope. l/Vhen the sheets 2O and 21 are used, the wires 17 will normally not be applied to the envelope until after the sheets 20 and 21r are in place, whereupon the bight portions of the sheets 2O and 21 will be disposed between the closed side of the envelope and the wire 17. The wire will thus divide the various sheets 2O and 21 into two sections and will tightly hold the sheets in place to prevent unwarranted removal of the same. 1 It will, of course, be understood that, if desired, the Carson layer 19 may be eliminated from the inner surface of the envelope 18, whereupon the sheets 2O may be made of transparent paper, if desired, and-a carbon sheet. 21 havingcarbon on both sides may be used between two or more sheets 20. lt will be noted that what may be called the top of the envelope projects a short distance beyond the bottom of the envelope at the free edge thereof. This is done so that an easy entrance is made for the fingers of a person handling the envelope between the top and bottom edges of the envelope for ready access to the interior of the same. The flaps 18a will, of cours-e, hold the sheets 2O and 21 in place vithin the envelope whether or not the wire 17 is applied to the envelope. If the inner surface of the envelope beprovided with the carbon layer 19, the flaps-18a will also kact to .prevent the fingers of theperson using the envelope fromfbecoming soiled .with carbon. For 'i use in conjunction with the envelopes 18, a, plate 22 formed: from card board, metal or similar material, may be provided whichv may. be. inserted between the reversely .bent

portions of the inner sheets 2O carried by thel envelope to serve as a backing and prevent 'impression made by a pencil or pen being.

carried more than midway through the laminations of the envelope when the sheets 2O and 21 are inserted therein.

With' the present device, it will be seen that when a number of wires 17 carrying envelopes 18 are insertedin place between the housing members 14, the envelopes will all lie in overlapped relation either as shown in full lines Fig. 1, orV in dotted lines F ig. 1, and in fulllines Fig; Q. `All the envelopes may be readily raised from the lower position shown in full lines Fig. l, to the raised po.

sition shownin Fig. 2; The 'spacing between d. the various slots 15 in thehousing members isV such that the free edges of the various envelopesfrom top to. bottom of thefile index.

will project below the free edges of other envelopes andy thus indexing data may be applied to the exposed portions of each envelope and this indexing data may be read at all times when the envelopes are inserted inv place between the housing members. Any

wire 17 carrying an envelope 18 maybe quickly and readily removed or inserted Ain lengthsv as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, so that .if

desired, groupsot1 envelopes disposed in the fiile may be separated from other groups of envelopes for classiiication purposes', and if desired, any number of envelopesmayfbe grouped together by using housing members of. the proper length and inserting these housing inembers'at the proper positions in the guides 11. When one of the envelopes is written on, and two sheetsQO of paper with an interposed carbon sheet 21 are used, two duplicate carbon copies can be made of the matter written on the envelope by use of the plate 22, or, if desired, additional carbon copies or a less number of carbon copies can also be obtained. Vh'en a wire 17 is removed from an envelope 18, the various sheets in the envelope will be retained in the proper position by the wings 18a of the envelope and yet access can be readily had to these sheets for removal thereof from the envelope. By provision of the vertical slots 15 in the housing fllmembers 14, a wire 17 carrying a particular envelope may risel to properly yallow -for the-` positioning ofi 'other' envelopes below the-' saine with the envelopes in overlapped `relai-A tion and without causing' the=.wires 17I to bind in the housing members. -Also if=de sired, several wires Y17 .carrying envelopes 18- may be .positioned inv one pair of opposite slots 15 of a'pair of housing members.v Y'By notching theflanges14 of the 'housing'members to cause the notches to join the slot-S15, the position of the slotscan' always bejread'-y ily observed to permiteas'y and quickin'ser-l Vtion ofl the wires 17 in place within the slots By-making the springs 13 of light sheetmaf:

terial, it iswpossible to depress portions ofthe springs without depressing other portions;

thereof, so as to permit insertion or withv drawal of particular Vhousing members .14

without removal of otherA housing Imembers7 rom'the guides 11. -Thefparticul'ar usesjtoV which the file index device .may'I-be put is so= varied, that no attempt will. be made here to describe the same. All' types oifmemoranda'- be made on the various envelopes and sheets carriedthereby` and these memoranda may be classified, indexed and otherwise `usedr as desired by use of the present device.

The present device has been successfully" demonstrated in actual practice., The partsV are. few and simply constructed. Revision of' the iile indexmay be quickly and easily made and envelopes may be quickly and 'eas-Q ily inserted in placeor .withdrawn for 'use outside the lile index device proper.

1tV will, of course, be understood that various changes' may be made in-the form, de-` tails, arrangement and proportions of the `various parts' without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

What is claimed is 1'. A file index havingr in said panel in parallel spaced relation, said housings having inner opposing vsides with openings cut therethrough'and eachl housing member having an outer imperforate ysidespaced outwardly a short distance from its` inner side, spring wires having ends fittingv within said openings, said wires being adaptedto be ilexedto release thefsame fromv said supports and memoranda members carried by said wires.` 4

2.y A iile index device having in combination a backing panel, guides secured tol said panelin` parallel spaced relation, support housings mounted in 'said guides, resilient means for releasably clamping-said' housings inplace-on said guides', said housings having openings out through' their facing sides,

spring-wires having ends projecting through theopenings 'inA opposite housings,` said wires beingreleasable from said housings by being flexed and memorandaV members carried by said wires between said housings.

i 3. A file index device .having in combinae combination a backingpanel, support housings mounted on tion, a backing panel, a pair of guides mounted on said panel in parallel spaced relation, said guides being of channel shape and having their open sides facing each other, support housings mounted in said guides and having inner sides facing each other with openings therein, spring wires having their ends fitting within the openings of said housings and said wires extending between pairs of housings in opposite guides, said wires being lof such length that their extreme ends will normally approximately strike the outer sides of said housings to retain said housings in said guides and said wires being releasable from said housings by being flexed and memoranda members carried by said wires between said housings.

4. A file index device having in combination, a backing panel, a pair of channel shaped guides applied in spaced parallel relation to said backing panel, the open sides of said guides being" disposed toward each other, springs applied to said backing panel in inwardly spaced relation from said guides and having free edges normally projecting towards said guides and above the lower edges of said guides, housing members fitting within said guides and against the inner sides of which said springs are adapted to bear, said housing members having openings therein, spring wires having ends extending through the openings of oppositely disposed housing members and memoranda members carried by said wires between said guides.

5. A filing envelope for use in connection with a file index device, said envelope having both ends and one side closed and having its remaining side open and having small wirereceiving openings at its corners which join the closed ends and the closed side of the envelope, and inturned flaps on both top and bottom of the envelope at the open side thereof.

6. A Vfiling envelope for use in a file index device, said envelope being ofl substantially rectangular shape and having its ends and one side closed and having its remaining side open, and having small wire-receiving openings at the two corners which 0in the closed ends and the closed side of the envelope, inturned flaps on both top and bottom of the envelope at the open side thereof and carbon transfer material applied to the inner surface of the envelope.

7. A filing envelope for use in a file index device, said envelope being of substantially rectangular-shape, having its ends and one side closed and having its remaining side open and having small wire-receiving openings at the two corners which join the closed ends and the closed side of the envelope, inturned flaps on both top and bottom of the envelope at the open side thereof, a wire ex tending between the top and bottom of the envelope and through said wire-receiving openings, carbon transfer material applied to the inner surface of the envelope and a reversely bent sheet of paper having its bight portion disposed between said wire and the closed side of said envelope and having its ends disposed between said flaps and the respective top and bottom of the envelope.

S. A file index device. comprising, a backing panel, a pair of channel-shaped guides applied to said panel in parallel spaced relation and having their open sides facing each other, housing members having portions fitting within the-channels of said guides and having inner sides closing portions of the open sides of said guides and provided with vertical slots therein, -said housing members having flanges extending over said guides, a plurality of spring wires having-their ends fitting within the slots of oppositely disposed housing members and rectangular memoranda members through which portions of said wires run and supported by said wires between said housing members, said mem-v oranda members being adapted to be disposed in overlapped relation.

9. A file index having in combination, a backing panel, a pair bf support housings applied to said backing panel and disposed in opposite parallel relation, said housings having vertical slots cut through their facing surfaces, spring wires extending between said housings and having their ends disposed within said vertical slots, said housings having notches in their upper surfaces joining said slots and memoranda members carried by said wires between said housings.

10. A filing envelope for use in a file index device, said envelope having its ends and one side closed and having` its remaining side open, and having small wire-receiving openings at its two corners which join the closed ends and the closed side of the envelope, car'- bon transfer material applied to the inner surface of the envelope, a wire extending through said wire-receiving openings and a reversely bent sheet of paper having its bight portion disposed between said wire and the closed side of the envelope.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH M. HURLEY.

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